Dean Schneider, a wildlife enthusiast, is an internet sensation. With a following of 11.1 million on Instagram, 10.5 million on TikTok, and a large audience on YouTube, Dean is well-known for his bond with wild animals, especially lions. Most of his videos show him fearlessly playing, walking, and cuddling with these majestic animals. Dean is a Swiss-born former entrepreneur, animal sanctuary founder, and wildlife conservationist.
Born in Switzerland on October 3, 1992, Dean grew up in a loving family that included his parents and sister. His love for animals started as early as the age of 6. According to his website, he discovered his passion for wildlife by watching Steve Irwin, a television personality whose life was dedicated to wildlife conservation and protection. It was through watching Steve’s famous show, ‘The Crocodile Hunter’ that Dean’s interest grew. He considers Steve his idol.
Dean currently lives in South Africa, where he runs the Hakuna Mipaka Oasis, an animal sanctuary. He started as a financial advisor but later launched a financial company at the age of 21. However, a few years later, he sold his business to focus on his love for wildlife and its conservation, starting the Hakuna Mipaka Oasis project at the age of 24.
Hakuna Mipaka Oasis means “no limits” in Swahili and covers about 400 hectares in South Africa. The sanctuary is home to various animals, including lions, cheetahs, capuchin monkeys, meerkats, hyenas, and reptiles. Some of them have been rescued by Dean. On his website, Dean writes, “The Oasis is my personal home and private sanctuary and not open to the public.”
The sanctuary is not open to visits by tourists, as the website claims that the place is a home for animals. It specifies that the place is not built for the pleasure of humans. The site has no trading activities or breeding programs, and a dedicated farm management team takes care of all the animals. Additionally, the sanctuary conducts rehabilitation programs for animals that can be released back into the wild.
On his social media, Dean posts frequently, and his videos show his strong bond with the animals. He even shares insights into the behavior of certain animals. For example, Dean shares that lions are more social and affectionate after they are full. He further explained in another video how lions, as social animals, hunt in groups, and this sense of community is driven by their need to prey.
This raises a very common question among his viewers: does he never feel fear? To this, Dean replies, “Absolutely not. Fear is a terrible companion in a relationship! The day I feel fear approaching them (lions) will be the day I stop entering their living space.”
In one of his latest videos, Dean also talked about the dwindling population of lions. In his caption, he wrote that lions face their ultimate threat from humans. The human-wildlife conflict is the result of the ever-growing human population, which is extending living spaces and ultimately causing habitat loss for wildlife.
